Transgender

Information for Transgender Patients

Updating your details
A trans person can change their name and gender marker at their GP practice just by requesting it. They do not need to have been to a Gender Identity Clinic, taken any hormones, undergone any surgery, or have a Gender Recognition Certificate.

The law in the UK regarding names is actually very unusual, stating that anyone can call themselves by any first name without any documentation at all. Despite this, Primary Care Support England (PCSE) recommend that healthcare services see a deed poll before changing a patient’s name on their medical record. For this reason, we will ask for a deed poll when amending your names/details.

However, changing your name will not automatically change the gender marker on your medical record, you need to let us know if you also want this to be changed. We make a request to PCSE for this to happen on your behalf.

What happens?
When your gender is changed you will be issued with a new NHS number (which is not reversible) and registered at the practice as a ‘new patient’. All previous medical
information will also be transferred to this new medical record.

What should I be aware of?
Changing your gender marker may affect whether you are invited to important medical screening tests that you still need. During your life the NHS will invite you to a number of screening tests for common conditions. As the prevalence of these conditions is different for men and women, some tests only invite people who have “female” on their NHS record, and some tests only invite people who have “male” on their NHS record. This can mean people who have changed their gender marker can be invited to the wrong tests for the body parts they have.

When you change your gender marker, you should remember that you may not receive reminders for the tests you need, and may have to ask for them yourself.

In summary

Trans women and non-binary people assigned male at birth who are registered with a GP as female:

• are invited for breast screening
• are invited for bowel cancer screening
• do not need cervical screening as they do not have a cervix
• are not routinely invited for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening, but can
request screening

Trans women and non-binary people assigned male at birth who are registered with a GP as male:

• are not routinely invited for breast screening, but can request screening
• are invited for bowel cancer screening
• do not need cervical screening as they do not have a cervix
• are invited for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening

Trans men and non-binary people assigned female at birth who are registered with a GP as female:

• are invited for breast screening
• are invited for bowel cancer screening
• are invited for cervical screening
• are not invited for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening

Trans men and non-binary people assigned female at birth who are registered with a GP as male:

• are not routinely invited for breast screening, but can request screening
• are invited for bowel cancer screening
• are not routinely invited for cervical screening, but can request screening
• are invited for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening, but do not have a high
risk of AAA

Should you require reminders for any of the screening tests which are affected by your gender change, please discuss this with us and we will be happy to help by adding diary entries to your record so we can remind you.

Current referrals
If you are already under the care of a specialist department (gender identity clinic or other) we will also have to let them know about the changes to your record and your new NHS number so as not to interrupt your care.